Declan Rice admits he had an ‘average World Cup’ as England prepare to face Spain in Madrid
Declan Rice admitted he had an “average World Cup” as England prepare to face Spain in Sunday’s Nations League match at the Metropolitano Stadium, saying he took time out during the September and October international windows to return fitter. The Arsenal midfielder added that recent club performances against Bayern Munich and Liverpool show the break has helped him recover form.
Rice said nerve pain in a hamstring that affected his lower back was a fitness concern during the World Cup and he was used in an emergency right-back role late in the last-32 win over the Democratic Republic of the Congo; he also scored in the third-place playoff against France. He had a busy campaign at club level, playing extensively across the season that included a title with Arsenal and a Champions League final defeat.
“By my standards it was an average World Cup,” Rice said. “France was probably my best game, Congo I played really well; some of the other games I didn’t play too well but you look back … I played 69 games [in the season]. “A title win with Arsenal, a Champions League final loss and into a World Cup. It’s annoying because at the World Cup you want to be at your best, you want to be totally fresh, you want to be ready. It’s annoying that I couldn’t perform how I did at Arsenal towards the back end of the season. “But knowing if I’m not going to be at my best, just constantly give 100% for this team, for the badge and you could see that. I loved [the last-16 win in] Mexico. We had the disappointment of Argentina in the semi-final, the second group game against Ghana. It’s games you look back on and think: ‘Could I have done better?’”
Rice returned to club duty after the World Cup, playing 45 minutes of the Community Shield on 16 August and then the full 90 minutes of the 19 September defeat at Brighton, when he said he “did not feel right at all”. After that match he discussed his condition with Arsenal manager Thomas Tuchel and was stood down from England’s first four Nations League ties, including the 3-2 loss to Spain at Wembley; Rice sent a voice note to the England captain, Harry Kane, to explain his absence.
On his decision to miss the earlier camps, Rice said: “I had an honest conversation with the boss here [Tuchel], who was really understanding. He said: ‘Take some time, get yourself ready.’ It was about using that time to come back fitter and stronger. I feel really good now. It’s still like I’m building up to being 100 per cent but it’s closer to that than what I was a few weeks ago, for sure. And over the last few weeks, my performances have picked up.”
Rice won his 81st cap in the recent win over Croatia at Wembley and has only previously withdrawn from three England camps. Reflecting on workload, he noted his consistent club minutes: “It’s something my body has got used to,” he said. “Probably last year, I felt it more than anything in terms of the amount of games, the toll it does take and realising as you get older, you have to take the recovery side of it a lot more seriously. When you were 21, 22, 23 … you could get up and have a round of golf the next day [after a match]. Now, even though I’m young at 27, you get up after a game and you can hardly feel your legs.”
Tuchel confirmed an eye-catching selection decision by naming James Trafford to start in goal against Spain, saying: “Traff will play. We want to see how far Traff is. So he gets a highly competitive match. We had some changes in the back four in the last match [against Croatia], so we went for more stability and more experience with Pickers. And Traff gets the match tomorrow. “Hopefully he’s not too over-excited or overly nervous because there’s no need to be. We trust him. But it is different to play for England than to play for your club. And to have the opportunity to play matches where it really matters is the best way to show up and to show that you’re ready. We know what Jordan can do for us. Jordan is, at the moment, our No1. I have a very clear picture in high-pressure moments.”
Tuchel also revealed Ezri Konsa was back in contention after missing the Croatia game with a minor knee problem and “showed up yesterday for individual work and he showed up today for training,” adding: “Ezri is back and ready to play.” The manager’s comments made it sound as though the Arsenal defender would start.
A win in Madrid would see England leapfrog the world champions and finish top of their Nations League group, and Tuchel noted that topping the group would theoretically bring an easier draw for the two-leg quarter-finals in March.